The Sacred Well
by BewilderedLily
Summary: When Kagome's mother remarries she gets something she never expected. An older sister. Things aren't what they seem however when they discover that this girl can travel through the well and that she's somehow linked to the Feudal Era and Lord Sesshomaru.
1. News

**Hi Readers,**

**Okay, this is a story that I've been working on for a while now. It was originally written under my other pen name: Madame Firefly. Since I have not been able to access that account, I've decided to move it over to this account and this pen name. I have written an email to the admin of this site to see if I can access that old account so I can delete it. **

**I hope you enjoy it. I will be updating it along side my Vampire Diaries story: Quiet Beauty. This is a little something for my Anime fans.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters, however Saiyaka is mine alone. **

**:Z:Z:Z:Z:Z:**

**The Sacred Well**

**Chapter One: News**

**:Z:Z:Z:Z:Z:**

He awoke in agony, too weak to lift himself from the decayed depths of his prison. It had been far too long since the last pitiful creature had wandered close enough to his domain, so long since his last feeding.

He tried to reach out with his power, tried to catch some wandering soul unaware and lure them to him, but the fiery pain coursing through his veins like shards of jagged metal made it impossible for him to concentrate. He was weak, powerless where once he had been feared by all.

Rage consumed him. It filled his mind with images of death and blood, of flesh torn to pieces and screams filling the air. He struggled against the bonds of magic that held him captive deep beneath the surface of the earth, struggled to free himself so that he might find the one responsible for all his suffering; the one who had caged him with her demon trickery, the one who had slipped out of his grasp, the one who had escaped him.

He felt the slow and sensual weavings of her spell begin to leach his remaining strength away. He fought, tried to summon enough will to lift his eyelids open and banish the spell from his body. But the pull was too insistent, too seductive.

_You are not free from me yet, demon bitch! I will be strong again. I will find you, and I will enjoy tearing your flesh from bone._

"Soon," he whispered as the abyss opened once more, pulling his mind deep down into the depths of black oblivion.

_Soon._

**:B:R:E:A:K:**

{Tokyo}

"You're engaged!"

Kagome Higurashi studied her mother's face in disbelief. They sat at the kitchen table with a pile of shelled peas sitting between them. The peas were for dinner. Strange that they were doing such a normal thing when they were talking about the last thing Kagome ever thought she'd discuss with her mother. It just couldn't be true. Her mother was still deeply in love with Kagome's father and she'd only been gone for three weeks. Something as life changing as her mother remarrying after 10 years of widowhood couldn't have been made in that short time. Could it?

"Honey," Yoko Higurashi's soft brown eyes held a mother's understanding and worry. "I know that it's a lot to take in right now. And you've just come back through the well. I'm not surprised that you're a little overwhelmed by all this. But before you start thinking that I met Jiro and agreed to marry him in only three weeks, I just want you to know that Jiro and I have been seeing each other for the past year now. I tried to tell you several times when you were home, but you've been so busy with other things you must not remember me talking to you about it."

Her mother had told her she was seeing someone? When? Okay, so she **had** been distracted by other things on the occasions when she could actually come home, but surely not distracted enough to miss an important fact like her mother seriously dating some guy that was not her father. But as Kagome racked her brain trying to remember one such conversation, a vague memory popped in to her head.

"Are you talking about that guy...the doctor or something that you met on one of Souta's appointments?"

"Yes, that's him. Jiro is your brother's pediatrician. Souta adores him," Mrs. Higurashi smiled serenely, her eyes sparkling as she thought fondly on the man. "He's such a good man Kagome; I know you'll learn to love him if you give him a chance."

Kagome didn't like the look in her mother's eyes. She'd only ever seen it when they'd discussed her father, and perhaps a long time ago when her father had actually been alive. What right did she have to look that way about anyone else? But she didn't have the heart to say such a thing to her mother, not when she was looking so in love. Kagome could even understand why she hadn't been informed about this earlier. Inuyasha had her so wrapped up in the search for the Shikon shards and the whole situation with Kikyou and keeping up with her school studies, that it was no wonder she couldn't remember her mother ever mentioning her ongoing relationship with Jiro the doctor.

_I blame this whole mess on Inuyasha! If he wasn't so...stuck on the Shikon shards and Kikyou, I wouldn't be so out of sorts all the time._

"So what are you thinking honey?" Mrs. Higurashi's voice cut into Kagome's internal ranting.

"I'm really not sure what to think," Kagome spoke honestly. "It's so new to me right now, but if he makes you happy mom, and you're certain this is what you want then I'm sure it will be okay. But what are we going to tell him about the well and my frequent absences? What about our living situations? And what does grandpa think about all this?"

Off in the distance, Kagome could hear her grandpa singing some old Enka song as he swept the shrine steps. She didn't think she could imagine life away from the shrine. It had been her home for as long as she could remember. The scent of cherry blossoms sweeping across the yard and into the house was as familiar to her as her mother's soft spoken words. And the Sacred Tree outside had watched over her family for hundreds of years. Even in the Feudal Era, she felt its strength and protection deep in her soul. Would she be made to leave this place? What would happen to Inuyasha and everyone else in the Feudal Era? Would she still be able to go to them and help piece together the Shikon no Tama before Naraku got a hold of it?

"Sweetheart, I can see your worry all over your face," Kagome's mother reached across the table and gently brushed a strand of hair from Kagome's face. "We could never leave this place; our roots grow as deep as those of the Sacred Tree. This is our home, I would never ask you to leave here because I could never leave here myself. I've spoken to Jiro about this, and I've told him about the secret of the well. He doesn't understand it completely, but he understands that our family needs to be here."

"Wait, he knows about the well?" Kagome gasped in horror.

"Of course he does," Yoko smiled innocently. "I had to tell him why you weren't around all the time, and he's going to be living here. He would have found out sooner or later, I thought it was best to tell him sooner."

"And how did he take it when you told him? Doesn't he think you're crazy?"

"At first I think he might have thought I was, but he's taken it pretty well, and your grandfather has spoken to him about the legend of the Jewel of Four Souls. I think he's curious about it now," Mrs. Higurashi replied with a hint of a laugh in her voice. "I'm not sure how we'll explain it to his daughter though."

No sooner had Kagome felt herself start to relax when her mother's words jarred her yet again.

"Daughter? He's got a daughter?" whispered hoarsely.

Yoko laughed at the look on her daughters face. She'd expected this sort of reaction.

"Yes, he does," she replied. "I've never actually met her myself, because she's currently studying overseas in the U.S. But Jiro has nothing but praise for her. She's 21 years old, and from what I hear she's a hard worker. Jiro told me that he didn't have to pay a single thing for her to go study abroad; she earned her way with her good grades. He tells me she's quite good at martial arts and sword fighting as well. He's got all the awards she won when she was in junior high all over the apartment. I'm excited to meet her, and I'm sure she'll make a great older sister for you and Souta."

Kagome had her doubts about that. She studied in the United States? She's good at martial arts and sword fighting? That didn't sound like fun that sounded intimidating. That sounded like a prissy miss perfect complex. And this was going to be her step-sister? Her **older** step sister?

Kagome felt sick to her stomach. And the cold icy hand of dread wrapped itself around her heart. But seeing her mother's anxious look, she smiled stiffly.

"So, what's her name?" she asked shakily.

"Saiyaka. Her name is Saiyaka Nakamura."

"When's the wedding going to be mama?" Kagome asked, thinking it best to talk about something else.

Again she noticed the softening of her mother's smile. It was so strange to watch that faraway wistfulness flit across her face.

"Two weeks from today. We're just going to have the justice of the peace marry us, so there isn't any need to really prepare anything. Though I'm afraid Saiyaka won't be able to make it in time, she'll be taking her finals next week and then she'll have to get everything sent over here. So, she'll be joining us a week after the wedding. That gives us just enough time to clean up the spare room so she'll be nice and comfortable when she arrives. You'll help me with that won't you dear? Please tell Inuyasha that I'm going to need you to be home for that okay?"

Her mother continued to talk. But Kagome couldn't stop herself from wondering what sort of person her soon to be step-sister was. How would she like having two younger siblings? What sort of person was this Saiyaka Nakamura?

**:B:R:E:A:K:**

{New York City}

Saiyaka Nakamura eyed her opponent critically, watching his moves with a studied eye. His movements weren't bad; they were actually pretty graceful for his size. He was about six feet tall, and looked to weigh about 185 pounds. Men of his size usually got caught up in their own legs, their center of gravity thrown off by their added height. But as he crouched down into a battle stance he moved smoothly.

Smiling slightly she couldn't help but feel pleased. It was nice to have a challenge every once in a while.

She waited patiently for him to make his move. She needed this, the physical strain of it. Needed to forget the news she had received just an hour before. Physical activity always helped her put her thoughts on hold long enough for her to get her emotions under control and see things logically, and kendo was one of her favorite forms of physical activity.

With a yell, her opponent launched himself at her, swinging his shinai with precision. She blocked him almost effortlessly, side stepping his next move and then flipped herself away from his advances.

It was all done seamlessly. With a shinai in her hand she felt she could do pretty much anything. She was even better with the twin kodachi swords her mother had left her after she died.

The fondest memories Saiyaka had of her mother, were of the daily sword lessons her mother used to give her. She used to tell Saiyaka that sword fighting was like a dance, that it was important to know your opponent as if they were your dance partner. Every move had to be calculated before it was made, every stroke of the sword and every twist of the body had to be studied and understood to truly beat your opponent. Watching her mother practice had driven that point home completely. Her mother could move with such grace, and when she had her two swords in her hand she looked to be like some lethal ballerina dancing across the floor.

When her mother had passed away, and the lessons had stopped, Saiyaka wasn't sure if she'd ever touch the sword again. It had been her father who had convinced her that she should keep up with her mother's teachings, continue the legacy that her mother had trusted her with. And when he'd given her the swords that had been so dear to her mother, and she'd held them for the first time, the feeling that they belonged to her and that she had been born to wield them made her continue her studies.

Now all she had left of her mother were the twin swords and the amulet that her mother had given her when she was a baby. She was never without the amulet, it hung around her neck at all times.

"Come on Saiya, if you're not going to keep your mind on the fight then it's not worth it for me to even continue with you," her opponent said laughingly.

"We both know I only need half my brain functioning to kick your ass, Adam," she taunted with a smirk.

Adam gave a snort and then charged at her again. However, his stroke was a little wider than it should have been. With a laugh, she avoided the swing and before he had even finished the move, Saiyaka slipped close to him and effortlessly unarmed him. He was lying on his back with the shinai to his jugular before he could even shout.

"Your swing was too wide," she stated fluttering her eyelashes innocently. "You should know better than to give me such an invitation."

With a good natured frown he took hold of the hand she offered him, and wiped his sweaty brow.

"You didn't even break a sweat did you?" he glanced at her almost sheepishly, offering her one of the towels provided for them anyway. She took it with a grin.

"Sure I did, you just can't see it. It's called 'How to Be a Proper Woman 101'. It's a prerequisite for teenage girls everywhere, can't become an adult female without it," she quipped happily, turning away to collect her things from the floor. They were using Mr. Yakimoto, their kendo teacher's, dojo. It wasn't quite a traditional Japanese dojo, but it served its purpose well enough.

"Naw, you were taking it easy on me, and I know it. I'm man enough to except it too. For a moment in the fight you didn't even seem to be completely with me. You had that spaced out look I adore. What were you thinking about this time?" Adam asked a look of mild concern on his face. Saiyaka cringed inwardly, just what she didn't want to talk about at the moment.

"Well," she started, looking away, trying to find an excuse to not tell him.

"Uh uh," he replied immediately. "Don't give me that look. First you agree to spar with me, when you flat out refused every other time I've asked you before. Then you space out in the middle of our fight, which I'm going to blame on whatever is on your mind because I'm too sensitive right now to think it was because you didn't find me a challenge at all. So don't even give me that look like you're trying to get out of it. I know you better than that. Spill."

Trying to look fiercely at him in a last ditch effort to get out of talking about her problems, she finally gave a sigh as she recognized defeat.

"Okay well, my father is engaged," she stated lightly. "And it looks like after our finals, I'm going to be going back to Japan for a while."

"Well, that doesn't sound so bad. You'll be coming back after things settle down, right?"

Her shoulders slumped, and she shook her head wearily.

"I'm not so upset about that though. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to miss all of you guys. But the truth is that I've been feeling a little restless for home. I'm actually excited about going back. And Japan has some pretty good colleges so it's not like I'm going to be falling into a ditch somewhere."

"But..." Adam coaxed doggedly. Saiyaka rolled her eyes at him.

"But the woman my dad is marrying, already has two children. A ten year old boy and a seventeen year old girl. I'm not exactly sure what makes me nervous about the whole thing, but I am. And it's been so long since my father has been with anyone. I would hate to not like the woman he's with or have her dislike me. I'm just not certain what's expected of me. And I hate that feeling."

Adam put his arm around her comfortingly. He was one of the only friends she'd made while in the states, having completely immersed herself in her studies and sword practice.

"You'll be alright, kiddo. If I had an older step-sister as hot as you, I might be tempted to go straight," he joked with a wink. "But seriously, in all the time I've known you, you've been nothing but a doll. You're a parent's wet dream hon. You earned your complete tuition not only through that prissy high school you went to, but won a complete scholarship to one of the most prestigious colleges in New York. And you know I've never met anyone with a bigger protective streak than you. Remember when we were out at that club? And that guy started calling me a fag? You nearly wiped the floor with him. I think he actually cried for his mother when you were through with him. Those people in Japan would be nuts not to love you."

Saiyaka blushed at such high praise.

"I'm serious, Saiya. If those people don't appreciate you back home, then you say to hell with them and you come right back here. You know you'll always be welcome," Adam pulled her into a tight hug.

"Thanks, I'll remember that," she hugged him back and then turned away to pick up the rest of her gear. "I guess the only thing left to do is to take my finals and make my travel preparations."

"That and throw a majorly huge going away party."

**:B:R:E:A:K:**

**I want to stress again that this is a story that I had previously posted on another account that I can no longer access. Please do not think that I stole this story from anyone, I would never claim another's hard work as my own. This story has been my little baby for quite some time now. I've been working on it for several years, and when I quit writing for a while it went without update. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I love writing it. **

**Please let me know exactly what you thought of it. Constructive criticism will go a long way with me. ) Thanks to those who read it. **

**Next—Chapter Two: The Meeting**


	2. Meeting

:B:R:E:A:K:

**The Sacred Well**

**Chapter Two: The Meeting**

:B:R:E:A:K:

Saiya touched her hair nervously again. She couldn't believe just how anxious she felt. It had started as soon as the stewardess announced their decent into Tokyo and had slowly snowballed into this horrible knot somewhere in the pit of her stomach.

She cast a glance over at her father who was calmly guiding their car through the traffic of downtown Tokyo, heading towards her new home, the Higurashi Shrine. For the billionth time she wondered what her new family would expect of her. She wasn't used to being unsure of herself, wasn't used to the feeling of panic beginning to well up the closer they came to their destination.

Jiro Nakamura studied his daughter out of the corner of his eye and sighed. Not for the first time, he wondered what went on beneath his daughter's calm exterior.

Saiya had always been a rather strange child. Due to the martial arts training her mother insisted on teaching her even at a very young age, she had this uncanny ability to hide her emotions. She was a very warm and giving person, but in most things she preferred to keep her own council. Even when she was small and had lost her mother, he'd very rarely had to comfort her, had in fact been the one to be comforted.

He loved his daughter very much however, and was extremely proud of the woman she had become. Reaching over he hugged her to him, all the while keeping his eyes on the road.

"I'm so glad to have you home, Saiya," he stated with a smile. "I've missed you since you moved to America."

She turned to study her father and noticed the way he seemed much more relaxed than she last remembered. It was as if some heavy burden he'd been carrying was now lifted, and he could finally be free to enjoy life. It made her heart glad to see her father so happy and she thanked her new step mother for that at least.

"Tell me about them, father," she finally gave in and asked. "What are they like? I want to know before I meet them."

"They are an amazing bunch of people," he answered fondly. "Of course, Yoko is one of the most amazing women I've ever met. She raised her children with only the help of her elderly father. Souta is a very good boy; even as young as he is he is very well mannered and surprisingly insightful. He was the one who pointed out I was in love with is mother."

Her father laughed at the memory, and Saiya felt a pang of loneliness. She hadn't realized how deeply she had missed being a part of a real family. Since the passing of her mother, things in her own family hadn't been the same. Though there was a lot of love between her father and herself, they were both by nature, reserved people. She hadn't realized how great the distance was between them until that very moment.

"And of course there's Yoko's father. He's a great man; I have a lot of respect for him. He has some rather interesting beliefs and until recently I would have written them off as flights of fancy, but with the things I've learned from Yoko, I'm inclined to believe as he does," he continued and then as if he just realized what he was saying he stopped, glancing at her quickly before plunging on and changing the subject. "Lastly, there's Kagome, Yoko's daughter. She's been pretty busy with certain things so I've only recently gotten a chance to get to know her. She's an extraordinary girl however, very brave and with a strong sense of duty."

She puzzled at why a seventeen year old girl would have to be brave, and what her father had started to say, but her thoughts came to a halt as the car came to a stop.

They'd arrived.

"Well, we're here," Jiro stated cheerfully. "Why don't we go up and meet everyone and then come down for your luggage?"

She could only nod her head, as she felt her heart was about to come out of her chest it was beating so hard. They exited the car and climbed the stairs. When they crested the last step, she stopped in awe.

The Higurashi shrine was beautiful. There was such a sense of history that it was hard to keep from believing she wasn't living in those ancient times. The stone path led to the steps of the house, and to the right of the path was a tree that captured her complete attention.

The tree was large and very old, she could tell. However, there seemed to be something more to it. It was odd, but it was almost as if she could feel a kind of power coming from it. She had no doubt in her mind that there was something special about this tree, though she couldn't for the life of her figure it out. It just brushed against her senses, making the amulet her mother gave her seem to heat against the skin of her chest.

"That's the Goshinboku," a soft feminine voice interrupted her reverie, and she realized that in her awe of the tree she'd left her father's side to stand under the great tree's branches. Her hand tingled and she didn't remember even reaching out to lay it upon the trunk of the tree.

She turned to identify the owner of the voice and knew immediately that she was looking at her new step mother.

Yoko Higurashi Nakamura was a pretty woman with light brown hair and the gentlest, kindest doe brown eyes. She seemed to exude a feeling of calm acceptance and wisdom. Saiya loved her immediately. How could she not?

"You must be Saiyaka," Yoko said with a smile, coming forward to enfold the young woman in a warm hug. With her embrace came the smell of home cooked meals and warm spring days. "Welcome to the Higurashi shrine, sweetheart."

Yoko's presence served as a balm to her frayed nerves, and with a smile of her own she returned the woman's embrace. "Thank you, it's a pleasure to finally meet the woman who has made my father so happy."

Mrs. Higurashi blushed prettily as she pulled away and was instantly enfolded in her husband's arms.

"Let's go meet the rest of the family," her father stated happily as he cuddled his new wife to him.

For the first time, Saiya noticed the people standing on the steps of the cozy little house further up the path. They studied her and she felt a wave of self consciousness creep through the calm she'd just managed to attain.

Coming to a stop before the steps, Yoko turned to make the introductions.

"This is my father and the priest of this shrine," she started kindly. The older man came forward with a big grin and gave the nervous girl a hug of his own.

"Call me grandpa!" he ordered as he broke away. "I saw your interest in the Goshinboku, later I'll have to sit down and tell you its history. That tree has watched over the Higurashi family for hundreds of years."

She cast a glance over her shoulder at the ancient tree and was not surprised to hear that it was of great importance to this family. "I would be honored to hear the story, grandpa," she answered and grinned back at him with real interest in her eyes."

Grandpa nodded with approval before returning to his place on the steps. Next to step forward was the young boy. He also had a grin on his face, though he studied her with serious eyes.

"I'm Souta," he declared in a matter of fact way. "Are you really as good at martial arts as father says?"

"Souta!" his mother exclaimed without any real reprimand. "I should have known that would be the first thing you'd want to know, you blood thirsty boy."

Saiya smiled reassuringly to Mrs. Higurashi before turning to the boy again. "Well, I don't know what my father has said about me, but I have been studying for a very long time," she answered him modestly and was secretly delighted at the real curiosity she saw sparkling in his eyes.

"Will you show me sometime? Jiro says you have two kodachi swords that you fight with, and I'd love to see them," he asked excitedly.

"Sure," she answered. "As long as it's okay with –"

She stopped suddenly as she realized she didn't know how her new step mother would like to be addressed. She blushed as she looked up at the woman uncertainly.

"You may call me anything you like, dear," Mrs. Higurashi reassured. "Mother if you feel comfortable with it or just my name if you aren't. I promise I won't be offended. I know this must be a lot of change for you to deal with at once. The children call your father Jiro or father.

Shyly she pushed a strand of her midnight hair behind an ear before again turning to address Souta. "If mother says it's okay then I'd be happy to show you *Shirayuki."

"Shirayuki," Souta tested the name as he spoke it. "I like it. Inuyasha's sword is the Tessaiga!"

"Souta!" the teenage girl that had been quiet through out the entire introduction so far, suddenly spoke in outrage and leveled a death glare at the now fidgeting boy.

"Oops, sorry Kagome," he apologized shamefully.

"Who's Inuyasha?" Saiya asked curiously, the fact that for some reason they were trying to hide something from her not eluding her.

Kagome finally stepped forward, her brown eyes boring into Saiya with a challenge.

"Since you're now a part of this family, I suppose its best that you know about a few things, and since it's really my story to tell, I will be the one to explain."

Saiya cast a puzzled look at the younger girl and around at the other anxious faces of her new family and wondered what exactly to expect.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Kagome studied the older girl in front of her with a feeling close to horror.

It was worse than she'd expected. Saiya Nakamura was like a perfect doll. Pretty didn't even begin to describe her.

She was shorter than Kagome expected standing at only five feet, and to the naked eye she would seem almost dainty. However Kagome could see that despite the almost fragile look of her, she had an athlete's strength. Her hair was a black so deep it was almost blue. Her eyes were a stormy gray color, which should have been boring, however they seemed glow and if you looked deep enough you could see tiny flecks of stardust within their depths. Her lips were a dark rose across the cream of her skin, and from where Kagome was standing it didn't look as if she got that color with any type of cosmetic. Underneath the setting sun, she seemed to sparkle.

Of course, it wasn't just her looks that made her beautiful. She moved with an innate grace, seeming to float instead of walk and around her hung this air of mystery that no body in their right mind could possibly resist. When she had smiled at her grandfather a few minutes before, Kagome had honestly thought her grandpa would keel over from heart failure. How could a person be that beautiful? Even in a pair of faded jeans and simple white button down top, she managed to look elegant and refined. Was she even human?

Kagome felt her heart sink, and she couldn't believe that someone who looked like her older sister could ever be anything but toxic and vain. How was she ever going to get along with a girl that could probably crook her finger at any man and have him instantly? And on top of everything, this same girl was an expert at sword fighting. Things didn't look good.

"Since you're now a part of this family, I suppose its best that you know about a few things, and since it's really my story to tell, I will be the one to explain." Kagome challenged with a bravado she didn't really feel.

Except for a brief flash of confusion, Saiya's features never changed just remained watching her expectantly. Kagome cleared her throat nervously and was just about to launch into the entire tale when her mother interrupted.

"Perhaps we should go inside for this," Yoko suggested calmly. "Let me get dinner made, I'm sure Saiya's tired from her trip, and we can get into the details once we're all comfortable. Are you hungry, Saiya dear?"

The young woman flashed a grateful smile at Kagome's mother. "Yes, I'm starving. I haven't eaten anything since early yesterday morning."

Kagome's mom ushered everyone inside and Jiro asked Souta to join him in getting the rest of Saiya's bags in from the car.

"Kagome," Yoko said. "Why don't you show Saiya her room so she can go freshen up and then come help me get dinner set?

Kagome agreed reluctantly and before she knew it everyone had left her alone with Saiya. The older girl was busy studying the interior of the house.

"I suppose you're used to fancier houses," Kagome blurted out, trying to fill the void of silence.

Bottomless gray eyes turned to rest on her, not even a hint of emotion crossing the girls face. "I mean, your father is a pretty successful doctor and all, I figure you're used to living in that fancy apartment," Kagome rushed on, cringing as every word seemed to come out as a sort of accusation.

For endless seconds the words hung in the air and Kagome feared that she might have already offended her new sister.

"The apartment was nice," Saiya finally answered her voice soft and kind, a gentle smile gracing her features. "However, I like the feel of this place much better. I like how warm and inviting it is."

Kagome lead the way to Saiya's room without responding. She quietly stopped in front of the door and then turned to the girl. "You mean quaint and small right," she stated rather than asked, turning back to open the closed door and lead the way into the small room. She didn't want to start out on the wrong foot with this girl, but she couldn't help it that her worst fears seemed to be coming true. And it made her angry that someone could think that the home she'd grown up in, the home she loved so much could be beneath them.

"Well, this is your room," Kagome rushed on, wanting to get through the tour so she could escape to the sanctuary of her own room and recover from this disastrous first meeting. "The bathroom is right across the hall if you want to freshen up before dinner, and I'm sure you can find your way back downstairs."

She cast one last quick glance at her new step sister before she all but fled the room.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Saiya watched Kagome flee her room with a frown. Unsure of what she should do to rectify the situation. She took one step towards the now closed door, thinking that she should go after the younger girl and talk to her, but then heaved a sigh as she realized she wasn't entirely sure what to say. Figuring that a few minutes to herself to get her head on straight and regroup would be the best thing, she turned and studied the room that was now her own.

The room was indeed small; however she found that she liked it all the same. The walls were a light shade of blue, reminding her of the sky on a sunny day. It was cozy and fit in perfectly with the warmth of the rest of the house.

With a sigh she walked over to the bed at the center of the room and sank down on the edge of the soft mattress. The quilt on top was worn, but it was so soft and smooth under her fingers that she found herself wanting to slide under it and take a nap. She really was rather tired, having slept very fitfully on the plane. However, there were things that needed doing before she could allow herself the rest she so wanted, and though it was tempting she knew that she couldn't possibly hide up here in her room on her very first day with her new family. She wanted to know these new people who were to be such a huge part of her life, and she desperately wanted to speak with Kagome and find out what she had done wrong already.

Her mind turned to this Inuyasha that was mentioned earlier and she wondered why he seemed to be such a hot topic around here. What was the big secret that everyone seemed so anxious about discussing? And what kind of name was Inuyasha? Was he a friend of the family? What did he have to do with Kagome? Maybe he was Kagome's boyfriend or fiancé or something. Even though it had only been for a second, there seemed to be something in Kagome's eyes when she'd stepped forward to explain earlier.

A soft tap at her door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Saiya, we've got your bags here," her father's voice called from the other side of the door.

Quickly she hopped from the bed and opened the door allowing Souta and him to enter with the small amount of luggage she had. She smiled gratefully at them as they set the bags down, both of them out of breath. "Thanks for getting them; I should have come down and given you a hand."

Her father planted a soft affectionate kiss on her forehead as he ushered Souta out of the room. "No worries," he replied cheerfully. "Yoko wanted me to let you know that dinner will be done in about half an hour so if you need to freshen up, you've got the time."

After he left, she ruffled through her bags to find some clean clothes and her toiletries. A hot shower always did wonders to clear her mind and ease her tense muscles.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

She sat across the table, studying her new family curiously. After the shower and a warm meal, she felt almost back to her normal self. However, even through the entire meal the questions buzzed in her head.

"So, who is this Inuyasha and what is the big secret that I need to know about?" she asked finally when the last bit of food had been eaten and she could take the curiosity no longer.

Her question instantly halted all conversation at the table and with quiet expectation they turned their attention to Kagome.

"As you said dear, it is your story to tell," Yoko prompted smoothly. "I think that we've kept up the suspense for long enough."

Saiya studied Kagome's face intently, watching the emotions play across it. The younger girl's face was like an open book, and it was clear for all to see that she was reluctant to speak of the topic. A moment passed with this play of emotion before she visibly straightened her shoulders and her lips set in determination. She turned to look Saiya in the eye as she began her tale.

For her part, Saiya sat still and patient as her new step sister began to tell the tale of the Shikon Jewel and of the sacred well that transported her back to Feudal Japan. She listened as the mysterious Inuyasha was explained and the quest to fix the now broken jewel before the evil half demon Naraku, a quest that had spanned four years and many trials already.

There were details that remained unexplained, like the nature of Kagome's relationship with Inuyasha, though Saiya noticed the tell tale softening of her sister's eyes when she mentioned his name and a flicker of pain as the name Kikyou came up briefly.

When finally Kagome stopped speaking, there lay a hushed silence over the table as the occupants studied their newest addition's face for signs of shock, but found none.

Saiya remained quiet as she mulled over the details in her mind. Part of her wanted to disregard the whole story as a wild flight of fancy right out of hand, however her gaze flickered to her father and she realized that a rational man like her father wouldn't believe such a far fetched story without some hard proof to back it up. There was also the fact that the entire family believed the tale, and though she fully believed you could fool one or two people, five people was unlikely.

"Would you show me?" she asked finally, her calm features never wavering. She aimed the question at Kagome, sensing that the others would fall to her to decide anyway. "I would like to see the well if possible."

Kagome frowned at her for a moment before answering. "You don't believe us?" she asked incredulously. "Not even your own father?"

Saiya smiled apologetically at the faces around her. "It's not that I don't want to believe you. It's just that I need to see it to wrap my mind around it. You have to admit it's a pretty outlandish story to believe without having proof first."

"That's fair enough," her father answered for everyone, cutting off whatever Kagome was going to reply. "I needed the same reassurance when I first heard about it. It wasn't until I actually met Inuyasha that I was able to believe it completely."

Kagome rose from the table suddenly, turning to Saiya she leveled her with a challenging glare. "Fine, I'll show you and then we can get this whole silly business out of the way and I won't have to bother tip toeing around you while I try and save the world from Naraku and his evil plans."

Saiya blushed sheepishly as she rose to follow the disgruntled girl out of the kitchen. She vaguely heard Yoko reassuring the rest of the family before asking them to help her clear the table.

She followed Kagome out into the yard and across it to a small well house on the edge of the property. The younger girl didn't spare her a glance as she yanked open the old door and descended down towards the old well that sat within. She came to an abrupt halt at the well, waiting for Saiya to step up to her side.

"This is the Bone Eater's well," Kagome explained in clipped tones. "This is where Mistress Centipede pulled me down into the Feudal age the day I turned fifteen. In the past, it was used as a place to throw the bodies of dead demons."

Kagome lifted her shirt and Saiya noted a small scar on the girl's hip. "This is where she ripped the Shikon Jewel from my body."

Saiya stepped up to the rim of the well, and placed her hands on it gently. The moment her hands touched the well, she felt a hum of something against her palm. It was the same sensation she'd had when she touched the Goshinboku. "Was this well made with the same wood as the tree outside?" she asked, a hint of awe coming into her voice.

She didn't see the odd look Kagome cast her way before answering. "Yes actually, how'd you know that?"

Saiya let her hands drop from the well, noting in confusion that the amulet at her neck seemed warm against her skin again. "It's the same feeling I got when I touched the tree, so I wondered," she answered simply.

"You felt something when you touched the Goshinboku? What did you feel?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Just a tingling sensation," Saiya replied absently. "I suppose my training makes me aware of certain things sometimes."

Kagome studied her for a moment longer before she swung her legs over the rim of the well to sit on the edge. "Well, I guess we'd better get this over with. Don't be surprised if Inuyasha pops up after I get back, he has a very strong sense of smell and can usually tell when I've crossed over. If he isn't too far out of range that is."

Saiya watched breathlessly as the girl slipped from the well's edge, and then gave a gasp of surprise as a blue light seemed to swallow the girl up. For a brief moment, she felt pulled towards that light and her body hummed with the same sensation she got when she touched the well. However it was gone as soon as the light twinkled out so she dismissed it. When the blue light faded, she glanced down into the depths of the well and saw nothing but dirt and darkness.

She braced herself against the well, disregarding the tingling sensation. She felt as if the world had tipped on some strange axis. The very fact that the existence of magic was confirmed before her very eyes and that what Kagome had explained to her was in fact true, made her feel as if she was dreaming. However, when the blue light appeared again and minutes later Kagome pulled herself from the once empty well, Saiya was forced to admit that this was very much her new reality.

Kagome smiled triumphantly at the very blatant look of shock on her step sister's face. "Now do you believe us?" she asked obviously and was rewarded when the girl sank down on the steps of the well house and began to laugh in helpless wonder.

"I believe you," the girl answered through near hysterical giggles. Saiya rested her head against her hands as she tried to absorb the truth. "What an amazing adventure you must be on! To be able to cross the barrier of time and see the world as it was so long ago, you must love it."

"It's very dangerous," Kagome stated flatly, though secretly she loved being able go back in time and see her friends and especially Inuyasha.

Saiya sobered at the tone of Kagome's voice and decided that now was as good a time as any to clear the air. If Kagome had entrusted her with her secret, then Saiya would return the favor by being completely honest with her. Besides, she was never one for beating around the bush.

"You don't like me," she stated bluntly.

Kagome frowned at her, not liking the abrupt change of topic. "It's not that I don't like you per see," she hedged uncomfortably.

Saiya shook her head and with a lift of her hand she interrupted Kagome's attempt at bailing out of the conversation. "Look, I know what I look like. I have looked into a mirror on occasion," she stated after Kagome quieted. She smiled ruefully at her younger sister and continued. "People think that because I look like this, I can't possibly be more than what I look like. They think that I'm shallow and that I spend hours worrying about my looks. They think that I couldn't possibly love old shrines and small houses because I must be used to the best of everything. Am I right?"

Kagome nodded reluctantly in agreement. "You have to admit, you are a bit intimidating when you add the fact that you're a perfect student and have been studying combat arts all your life."

Saiya laughed and Kagome grumbled as the gesture only made her perfect face more amazing.

"Did you know that my father adopted me?" Saiya asked quietly after a few moments. "My mother met and fell in love with Jiro when I was already two years old. My biological father died in an accident before my mother even knew she was pregnant with me, so I never met him."

"How do you know that?" Kagome asked the information rocking her. It was true that Saiya looked nothing like Jiro, but still the way Jiro spoke about his daughter gave nothing away.

"I found the documents once when I was very little, but I never spoke of it because as far as I'm concerned Jiro is my real father. He loved my mother very much and never once made me feel as if I was anything but his own," Saiya explained. "However, when my mother passed away I was so very afraid that Jiro would decide that he didn't want me. I know now that it is unreasonable, but still I have a small fear inside of me that the only person I have left in the world will decide he doesn't want a daughter that isn't really his."

The admission hung in the air between them for several heavy moments. Saiya looked down at her hands, wringing them as she let a virtual stranger in on a secret she hadn't spoken of to anyone. She'd been carrying that information around with her for so long, that it was strange to hear the words uttered into reality. However, she had a deep need for this girl to understand her. She ached to be a part of this family.

She took a breath before she continued. "So, when my mother died, I promised myself that I wouldn't give my father a reason to not want me. I vowed that I would work as hard as I could to make sure that he never had cause to regret adopting me into his life. It is very important to me that he know how grateful I am for all that he has done for me."

Kagome studied the girl in front of her and a little bit of her defenses began to crumble. "I'm sure that Jiro doesn't see it that way at all though," Kagome said softly. "I've seen the way he lights up when he talks about you. You might not be his daughter by blood, but I don't think he'd ever be able to just throw you away. I know he loves you very much."

Saiya felt her heart warm at the words. She was truly glad that her father felt proud of her. "I love him too," she said sincerely.

"Why are you telling me this?" Kagome asked curiously.

"I want you to understand why I am the way I am and you let me in on a secret of yours. Isn't that what sisters do? Tell each other their secrets and trust in one another to keep them?" Saiya asked as she rose from her seat on the stairs and dusted off her pants. "I've never had siblings, but I've always wanted them and now I have a little brother and sister. I'm nervous, but I would really like to make it work."

The younger girl bit her lips as she contemplated what Saiya was saying. She wanted to make it work as well, but she still had fears that wouldn't disappear. Compared to Saiya she must look like a complete dunce. Not only was she not beautiful, but she had absolutely no time to study much of anything since all her time was spent in the Feudal ages hunting down jewel shards. How could this person understand how hard it was to juggle both timelines?

Saiya watched the play of emotions on the younger girl's face and nearly laughed. Her little sister's face was like an open book, every single thing she was feeling was there on her face for all to see. She envied that ability, as she was often told that she was a very hard person to read. It frustrated her that even though below the surface she was just as emotional and filled with uncertainty as any other person, people couldn't read that on her face. It was disheartening that she was so very difficult for people to see truly. Not many people wanted to take the time to dig beneath the surface, so she was often misunderstood.

"I'm not perfect, Kagome," she stated, interrupting the girl's thoughts. "For instance, I'm terrified of spiders and every single guy I've dated has dumped me the moment I tell them I could crush them with my pinky."

Kagome stared at her in surprise and then burst out laughing. "You actually tell them you can break them with your pinky?"

The tension between the two began to fade, and while Saiya knew it would take a little more time to get to know each other before it completely faded she believed that it would be worth it once it did. "Oh of course, I believe in being completely honest with people. If they can't take the fact that I know a billion ways to kill a man, well then they really aren't for me. Besides, I don't think I'd stay interested in a guy who was weaker than me."

The two girls made their way out of the well house, both feeling for the first time that day that perhaps things wouldn't be so bad after all.

**Phew! It's finally finished! I'm so sorry that it has taken me years to write this next chapter. A few things I want to clear up before I'm off to write the next chapter. **

**I know that Kagome is a little bit out of character in this chapter but bear with me. I just don't think it's plausible that she wouldn't feel a little scared and on guard with a new sibling in the mix. I also needed you to know a few things about Saiya before we continue.**

**Also, Saiya is by no means perfect. I'm not out to write a Mary Sue story. She is chalk full of flaws and insecurities which will become apparent in the later chapters. For one, she has one ferociously horrible temper when riled-I pity the idiot that makes her mad. Hehe…oh who could that idiot be?**

**I realize as well, that these first chapters might be a little dry. Bear with it, as I am trying to build up the story.**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please remember to review as I love to hear what you think about the story thus far. **

**I will try to get the next chapter up by next week, but please understand that I do have a life outside of my writing. Unfortunately, I have many bills to pay and no sugar daddy to pay them for me. So I will try my hardest, but don't be mad if it takes a bit.**

**Yours,**

**Karigan**

**Next Chapter: Inuyasha**

****


	3. Inuyasha

**Oh my...and update. Posts it quickly and then dashes away to hide.**

**P.S-I apologize in advance for the errors that might be in this chapter. I had to rebuild my pc and now for some reason my word doesn't want to work. So I wrote the remainder of this chapter in Wordpad. *Weeps* Spellcheck...I miss thee...**

**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**

**The Sacred Well**

**By Bewildered_Lily**

**Chapter 3: Inuyasha**

**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII**

In the days that followed, life settled into a calm routine of sorts. Kagome discovered fairly quickly that Saiya was anything but shallow, as the older girl did everything in her power to make sure that she wasn't a burden on her new family. Once the two girls started opening up to each other, they found that they didn't want to stop.

For Kagome it was nice to have someone she could talk to about her adventures. Sure she'd always had her mother, but there were things that Kagome knew her mother would only worry about and so could never mention. However, with Saiya she could talk about anything and everything and know that she wasn't being judged. It was such a relief after so long juggling with both her lives.

Saiya took up the role of older sibling like a fish to water. She loved that there were people that suddenly looked up to her. Souta practically worshipped the ground she walked on, and all it had taken was letting him watch her practice. She adored that Kagome confided in her, that after the initial few days of suspicion and fear, she'd warmed up and allowed Saiya to listen to her adventures.

Already she felt she knew the band of fellow adventurers that traveled with Kagome in her quest. Her heart bled for the Taijiya, kitsune, and monk and all they'd endured at the hands of Naraku. She even felt sorry for the undead priestess Kikyou, though she was prudent enough to keep that feeling to herself.

All in all, the last few days had been some of the best that she could remember since her mother's death; and the way her father practically danced through the house let her know that he was just as happy.

"There you are," Kagome's voice cut through her happy thoughts. Currently, she was seated on the edge of the ancient well staring down into its depths as her mind wandered. She felt drawn to the well house, and after an afternoon of sword practice she'd just naturally gravitated to it. She hadn't even bothered to change, still attired in her training outfit with Shirayuki strapped to her back.

"Yeah, I must have wandered in here after practice," she replied with a smile as she made room for Kagome to sit beside her.

Kagome gazed down into the depths and wondered what her friends on the other side were up to. She knew that if she didn't return, Inuyasha would soon come looking for her. She wanted very much to stay and get to know Saiya better, but knew that soon her duties to the Shikon Jewel would pull her away.

"You're going to be returning to your duties soon," Saiya stated having read the emotion on the younger girl's face.

Kagome nodded, still staring into the well. "I have to. I'm surprised Inuyasha hasn't already come to get me. It's been two weeks. Normally, he'd have come to drag me back by now. I'm getting a bit worried to be honest. Any number of things could have happened."

Though Saiya was loath to stay behind as her sister plunged herself into very real danger, she knew that Kagome's sense of duty would not allow for anything else. She could understand that. "Maybe its time for you to go back; I'm sure your friends are fine, but it won't do to sit here worrying about it when you can go see for yourself."

Kagome cast a smile at Saiya for her understanding. "I will go back, first thing tomorrow. I wish you could come with me though. With your skills, I bet you'd make a great addition to our pack. I've seen you practice, and I bet you'd even give Sesshomaru a run for his money."

"Who's Sesshomaru?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, Sesshomaru is Inuyasha's older half brother," Kagome answered. "He's tried to kill us numerous times. He's not too fond of Inuyasha."

"The Killing Perfection," Saiya stated softly, trying to picture a person who made killing their sibling a normal habit. "What an odd name."

"Odd yes, but completely accurate," Kagome explained. "I've watched him fight on more than one occasion and I can say without a doubt he is an amazing sight to see. Don't ever tell Inuyasha I said this, but Sesshomaru is completely gorgeous. It's too bad he's an arrogant jerk. He's so cold he could probably freeze ice with a mere glance."

Saiya laughed. Idly she reached up to finger the pendant at her neck. There seemed to be something at the very edge of her mind, a thought that couldn't quite take form. The harder she tried to think on it however, the farther it seemed to drift from her and she dismissed it as merely her overtired brain telling her to get more sleep.

"Let's go get your stuff ready for tomorrow then we can go out and see a movie or something tonight. I have to hop in the shower though before I kill people with my stink."

Kagome looked at her incredulously and then rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, like you could ever smell bad. Do you even sweat?"

For that Kagome earned a playful pinch on the arm and they both went running out of the well house laughing.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

She couldn't sleep. Though she'd spent the day training heavily and then spent the rest of the night walking all over Tokyo with Kagome, her body felt abuzz with energy.

Finally, after a few hours of tossing and turning she gave up with a groan. She dressed quickly in a pair of workout pants and a tank top, grabbed up Shirayuki and crept from her bedroom. Maybe some exercise would relax her mind enough for sleep.

She moved without a sound through the darkened halls and down the stairs. Everyone had gone to sleep hours ago and she didn't want to disturb them. No need for anyone else to go without sleep.

She paused only for a moment to put her shoes on before she stepped outside into the balmy summer air. The moment the air hit her body she felt more at peace.

The yard was awash in moonlight, casting a blue tinge over all the surrounding buildings. It might have been eerie to anyone else, but she'd always liked the stillness of night. She loved the way the light of the moon made the world seem completely different, almost magical.

She made her way across the yard, wanting to put some distance between herself and the house so that her training wouldn't disturb anyone.

Finding her usual practice spot, she stopped. She drew in a deep breath and stilled herself for a moment, drawing in the clean air as she opened her senses up to everything around her. She instinctively tested her surroundings for any threat, but felt only the distant buzzing she was getting used to feeling through the Goshinboku and Sacred Well. She could also feel bits of power emanating from the house, and figured she must be picking up the miko powers that came off of Kagome and the Shikon shards she had in her possession.

Since she'd been a little girl, she'd had very heightened senses. The very first lessons her mother taught her as a child involved activities to strengthen this ability. Her mother told her once that her instincts were going to be her most valuable tool in life and though training and discipline were needed, if you could learn to listen and hear what your instincts were telling you to do, you'd very rarely be steered wrong.

For several minutes she stood motionless, allowing the normal layer of consciousness to dissolve until her whole body hummed with that layer of instinct that always lay beneath the rational surface of her being. Once she was centered, and assured that no threat was near it was a natural thing to unsheathe her kodachi and begin the intricate dance of her training.

She lost herself in the familiar swing of her blades, her body flowing from one form to the next seamlessly underneath the watchful eyes of the moon. The worries and tension from earlier drifted away and her mind started to work through the things that were really bothering her.

She realized that she felt listless. Since the day her mother died, she'd moved forward on auto pilot. Every move she'd ever made was to ensure that she was never a burden to her father. Getting good grades, going to a good college and making sure that her father wouldn't have to pay a penny for it had been the all consuming focus of her life for so long and she'd been so busy with it that it had been easy to not stop and think about the things that she really wanted, needed. It was easy to lose her self in the grind of everyday life and she had neglected some pretty important issues.

However now, all that activity had come to a screeching halt. Suddenly there weren't distractions to keep her from taking a good long look at what was going on inside of her. Even through the chaos of the current two weeks, she could see that she'd been achingly lonely for a very long time. In fact, the way she soaked up every moment with everyone was due largely in part to the fact that it felt so good to be surrounded by family and she was very happy to be a part of that again.

The reality remained however that she felt lonely and without purpose for the first time in her life.

She wasn't sure what her next move was supposed to be. Sure, she could go back to school and finish her degree, and most likely that was what she should do. She would have to get a good job and eventually find a place of her own to live. She couldn't possibly impose on her father and his new wife for too long. Not when they had two children to care for already. At the very least she should get a job in the interim so that she could contribute something to them.

There was a long list of things she knew she needed to do. And yet, when she looked ahead at what her future was shaping out to be, she felt oddly depressed. It felt like she was looking down a long and empty road devoid of joy and excitement and instead of being excited by the possibilities of her future she felt stifled and trapped. Beneath her skin she felt as if she were coming apart with restlessness. She longed for something, and couldn't find the name for it. It called to her as intimately as a lover, and yet she couldn't figure out how to answer. It was enough to make her scream. Her loneliness was a pain so deeply embedded inside of her that she feared she'd never be free of it.

As she became more engrossed with the puzzle of her thoughts, her body continued its deadly dance. Her twin kodachi flashing as they slid through the air gracefully, punctuating the cadence of her inner thoughts.

"Who the hell are you?" a voice called through the dark, ripping through her thoughts like a bucket of frigid water.

Mentally she cursed as she felt the presence of another within her circle of defenses, so absorbed in her thoughts that she'd allowed them to come dangerously close without realizing it. Her eyes whipped around to settle on the figure standing only a few yards away from her, and her body slid into a defensive stance seamlessly.

The intruder was a male, his pale locks were tinged blue by the moonlight and it rustled around his red robed figure. She noted the sword that lay strapped against his waist, but the hilt looked worn and ragged and she bit her lip against a reprimand. One really should take better care of their weapons.

"Oi," he spoke again, the sound of his voice causing her to grip her kodachi tighter. "Who are you and why are you standing outside Kagome's house with a weapon?"

"I think I should be asking you that question. Since this is my home and you are in fact the trespasser here, maybe you'd like to tell me what you're doing lurking around in the dark," her voice was calm as she asked, though her heart was racing as her mind ran through her options. She felt the familiar rush of fire through her veins as her blood sang at the thought of a fight, though it was background noise as she quickly calculated the distance between them. The intruder could obviously move quickly, since he seemed to come out of nowhere.

"Feh!" he spit out disdainfully. "I asked you first, wench."

The words had no sooner left his mouth when she'd launched herself at him, closing the distance between them with breathtaking speed. For her, the world slowed down and as she moved she adjusted her body, getting ready for her attack. One slender leg whipped out in a roundhouse kick, catching the stunned boy in the face with surprising force. As he began to fall she rammed the hilt of one of her kodachi into his stomach, knocking the breath out of him as he slammed into the ground, hard.

It happened in mere seconds, but the intruder found himself looking up at the tiny woman as she pointed the blade of her kodachi to his exposed neck.

"If you ever call me a wench again, I'll cut out your tongue," her voice was low and smooth and it held a note of absolute promise. Despite himself, the boy found himself gulping. "Now tell me who you are before I start to get angry."

He opened his mouth to give the woman a piece of his mind, but a familiar voice cut him off. "Inuyasha?"

Saiya looked up to find a rumpled Kagome approaching. Kagome's words registered in her brain and she turned an incredulous look down to the not so happy person being held at the end of her blades. For the first time she noticed the two pointy little dog ears on the top of his snow white head. "This is Inuyasha?"

"Geez, Inuyasha!" Kagome griped grumpily, having been awakened from a perfectly good dream by the annoying glow of the Shikon shards. She'd known immediately it was Inuyasha and come out to greet him, only to find him flat on his ass. "What did you say this time?"

"What makes you think I said anything?" he cried angrily, getting annoyed at the fact that he was still lying in the dirt and his ass had been handed to him by a scrawny woman. "I came through to get your lazy butt back so we could actually get some work done, only to find this human dancing in your yard like a crazy person. And when I questioned her to make sure she wasn't trying to put some strange witchy curse on you, she attacked me for no reason."

Saiya took a step back, sheathing her kodachi. "I believe you called me a wench first. And since I have a perfectly good name, I thought maybe you should be educated on the correct way to speak to a woman," she stated sweetly.

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head, and for a second Saiya found herself tempted to reach out and rub them. They looked so soft and fuzzy, she almost couldn't resist. She had a secret soft spot for dogs, and when around them she found it rather enjoyable to rub their furry little ears.

"Feh," Inuyasha grumbled with a scowl. "You're a puny human, I can call you whatever I want."

All thoughts of rubbing his ears disappeared at his rudeness, and were replaced with an overwhelming urge to do him bodily harm. She wondered vaguely if Kagome would hold it against her if she sent him on his way minus a few important man parts. Casting a glance over at Kagome she noticed the soft light that illuminated the younger girl's brown eyes, despite the frown on her pretty face, and decided she'd better refrain from unmanning her new sister's love interest. She might actually want those man parts intact someday.

"Shut up, Inuyasha," Kagome growled dangerously, saving Saiya from having to respond. "This 'puny human' just happens to be my family now, and I might have been half asleep, but I definitely saw her just hand your almighty half demon behind to you on a silver platter."

"I'm Saiyaka," she stated, seeing the dark look on the half demon's face, she decided to step in and try to make peace. "I'm sorry about attacking you, you caught me off guard and I reacted before thinking. You came through the well, so I didn't sense you approaching."

"Whatever," Inuyasha said rudely; dismissing her and turning to Kagome. "Are you done taking it easy now? We have jewel shards to find you know."

"I know that, Inuyasha!" Kagome sighed tiredly; she really had been having a great dream. Something about Inuyasha wrapping her up in his arms and telling her how much he'd missed her these past two weeks. Talk about rude awakenings. "I was going to come back first thing in the morning, but since you're here now, I guess I can go back with you."

Saiya watched the interaction between the two and couldn't help how her hackles raised at the tone of Inuyasha's voice. She watched Kagome turn to head back into the house with a weary sag to her shoulders and decided to step in and help. She might very well be overstepping herself, but she would deal with that if it came down to it.

"Kagome needs a good night's rest, Inuyasha," she said, moving to Kagome's side and putting an arm out to stop the girl. "Come back in the morning."

"No way," he cried huffily. "She's been gone for two weeks! Do you have any idea how many shards of the Shikon Jewel Naraku might have gotten his filthy hands on by now?"

"Be that as it may, a few hours more won't do you any harm. Come back in the morning. If Kagome is going to be running around finding your precious jewel shards, she's going to need to be well rested. Or would you rather she gets hurt because you wouldn't let her have a good nights rest?" She asked bluntly, giving the hanyou one of her best stern faces.

"I AM really tired, Inuyasha," Kagome stated. "I'm already packed and ready to go, so as soon as I wake up tomorrow I'll be on my way. Can't you wait for just a little bit longer?"

The hanyou growled in frustration, taking a step forward to grasp Kagome's arm, "No! It's been two damn weeks, Kagome! If you're packed and ready to go, then just come with me now."

A dark frown came over the girl's features, and her face reddened with her growing ire. The hanyou knew the look quite well, and his little doggie ears again flattened against his head as he released Kagome's arm as if it was on fire and took a hasty step back.

"Good night, Inuyasha," Kagome said, her voice dripping with a promise if the hanyou should attempt to coerce her again.

Saiya had to fight a smile as she watched the play of emotions on the poor hanyou's face. On one hand he looked about to protest again, but the dangerous look on Kagome's face was one he'd learned the hard way not to ignore. Of course, he couldn't completely back down, or he'd look weak so he had to at least say something that would save him some face. Really, it was quite the quandary the poor dog found himself in.

"Fine!" Inuyasha grumbled crankily as he turned back towards the well house. "First thing tomorrow, Kagome or I'm coming back and dragging you through the well weather you like it or not!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kagome dismissed, rolling her eyes at the hanyou's overly tough attempt. However, as the shadows of the well house engulfed him, her expression softened. "Thanks, Inuyasha. I'll see you tomorrow. I promise."

A soft 'keh' from the well was the only response, and then there was the faint humming of the power within the well, and Saiya could no longer feel the hanyou's presence. She turned to Kagome and smiled as she took in the younger girl's fight to stay awake now that the excitement was over.

"Come on, let's get some sleep. Busy day tomorrow," she said, ushering Kagome back towards the house.

"So that's Inuyasha," the sleepy girl stated obviously as they drifted into the house for the night. "Isn't he a pain?"

"Yes," Saiya stated honestly, but then cast a teasing smile to Kagome. "But I think you've got him pretty well trained."

They laughed as they both recalled the cowed look on his face from earlier. Saiya had a feeling that things were only going to get more interesting.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The next morning came quickly, and with it there was a flurry of activity. Though they had packed all of Kagome's gear for the next few weeks, Kagome decided to cook up a nice big breakfast for her friends over on the other side. So, currently she was puttering around the kitchen, cooking up delicious smelling food with the help of Jiro.

Saiya watched the activity from the safety of the kitchen table. She wasn't much for the kitchen. She could do all the basic things, but anything more complicated than fried eggs and she was completely beyond her depths. Her father had taken care of all the cooking when she was little. Her mother hadn't been good in the kitchen either, so it had fallen to him to make their meals. Luckily, her father was more than qualified to take up the task.

Watching them now, she smiled at the picture they made. Kagome rushing around trying to cook fifty things at once, her father running around behind her making sure she didn't burn the kitchen down and adding a few things here and there all the while humming a happy tune, Yoko at the sink washing the dishes as fast as they were coming, somehow managing to keep the kitchen clean despite the chaos. Souta had left for school only a few minutes before, and grandpa was already out in the yard sweeping up the front steps.

It was a happy disaster that came with having a full house.

Saiya sighed contentedly as she took another deep sip of her morning tea. She was dressed in her workout clothes. As soon as Kagome left, she'd get a good workout in before she started her day.

"What are your plans for today, Saiya dear," Yoko asked between the next onslaught of dishes. "Do you have any plans?"

"I think I'm going to go into town today and see if I can get a job," she replied after a little thought. "It'll be nice to have something to occupy my time while I figure out what to do about school. It's strange not having something to do during the day."

They made small talk for a while, while Kagome and her father got things put away and secured for the trip through the well and before they knew it Kagome was ready to go. Saiya grabbed the huge yellow bag from the struggling Kagome and adjusted it to sit on her shoulder next to Shirayuki, letting the younger girl carry the food.

With quick kisses and hugs to Yoko and Jiro, they were off towards the well house, not noticing the way Jiro placed his arm around his wife both wearing the same worried expression.

"So," Saiya stated, wondering idely what Kagome had packed in the bag as she hefted it. It felt like she was carrying a ton of bricks. "I'm sure you know all the normal stuff. You know, don't get eaten by a lizard demon even if it seems like a good idea at the time. Don't poke the snake youkai with a stick, I hear they don't like that. Don't try wrestling with hungry looking bear demons, their favorite meal is probably your face. Well, I wouldn't try wrestling normal bears either while you're at it. Stuff like that."

They reached the well house and were taking the steps down as she spoke, Kagome snorted and cast Saiya an incredulous look. "Me? Poke a snake? Gross. I can't make any promises about the bear thing. They mess with me, I'll have no choice but to show them who's boss."

Saiya nodded her head sagely before smirking at Kagome. "Well, then aim for its eyes and steer clear of its claws and teeth. That's very important."

Kagome sighed as she set the food down and turned to pull the heavy bag onto her shoulders with a groan. "This thing gets heavier and heavier, I swear."

"I WAS wondering if you were playing a trick on me and had actually packed it full of bricks. You don't actually carry that thing around everywhere with you, do you?" Saiya asked, knowing both of them were stalling as much as they could before Kagome had to leave. It really was difficult to say goodbye when they were just starting to get to know each other.

Kagome began to answer, but was interrupted as the well flashed a brilliant blue and moments later a not so happy Inuyasha was standing in front of them.

"You're late again, Kagome!" he barked, stamping his foot like a spoiled child. "You said first thing in the morning. Dawn came two hours ago!"

Kagome rolled her eyes waving her food ladened hands in front of the hanyou's face so he could get a good whiff. "I was cooking breakfast for everyone. Geez, have a little patience would you?"

Lifting his nose to the air, he sniffed deeply and upon smelling the food turned away from Kagome with his usual 'keh' and glared at Saiya instead. "And what are you doing here, we-"

Saiya raised a single midnight brow at him, her hand inching up to caress the hilt of a kodachi carelessly, nearly laughing as the half demon snapped his mouth shut before he could utter the rest of the offending word. "I'm merely seeing Kagome off and helping her carry her stuff. Be a good half demon and grab that yellow bag from her would you? It really is rather heavy."

Inuyasha cringed at her honey sweet words, and like a well trained dog who was used to the wrath of strong women, he wordlessly reached out and took the bag from Kagome's back before even realizing he'd done it. He growled deeply when his brain caught up with his hands, but decided to keep his mouth shut for the time being.

"Good boy," Saiya quipped, walking over to the lip of the well to cast her eyes down into the depths before turning to grin at Kagome. "Well, have lots of fun. Kick lots of demon ass, and all that. I want to know everything that happened when you come back."

It happened so quickly after that. One moment she was staring into Kagome's laughing eyes and the next there was a look of horror on her pretty face. She vaguely heard Inuyasha growl, but she was spinning to face the well before it even registered in her ears, Shirayuki coming up to catch the downward plunging of a clawed arm as it swiped at where her unsuspecting and unprotected head had only moments been. She grit her teeth as the force of the attack nearly made her knees buckle, and she barely had time to twist away from the onslaught before the next one came at her.

"Inuyasha, don't!" she heard Kagome scream from somewhere to her left. "The space is too small in here, if you use the Tetsuaga you might get Saiya in the wave!"

She didn't hear the hanyou's response, her attention focused completely on the demon in front of her. It looked to be a rodent of some sort, only it was massive and its eyes glowed a horrific crimson red. Its mouth was full of razor sharp, slimy looking teeth and its paws were tipped with long lethal claws. Which came down on her again, and she flipped out of the way slashing out with Shirayuki, cringing when the creature roared as her blades bit deep into its paw.

The injury gave the creature pause, and in the seconds before it regained itself, Saiya pulled herself together. She needed to get that creature away from the well house. However, drawing it into the yard and closer to the house where her family was currently going about their morning unknowing of the danger they now were in, was unacceptable. Her eyes flashed to the well and she suddenly knew what needed to be done.

"Inuyasha, we have to get it back down into the well so you can fight it on the other side," she called out. Her voice echoed in the well house, and she winced as the glow of those beady red eyes came to rest on her again and the creature gave a roar of rage. She needed to do this quickly. "I'll push it back into the well, but you'll have to do the rest from there. "

She didn't wait to make sure they had heard her. She leaped forward, her blades dancing out around her as she began to attack the demon in earnest. She was like a wild thing, her instincts taking over completely to compensate for her lack of practical knowledge. The demon had no choice but to give ground against her flurry of attacks.

She spied the well, and with a scream of triumph she slammed her body into the demons pushing it over the edge. The demon stumbled backwards with a startling jolt, and for just the barest of seconds Saiya found herself off balance. She felt herself tumbling down with the demon, and she reached out to stop her decent catching the side of the well for a heartbeat before the momentum of her attack wrenched her hand loose. She gave a cry, bracing herself for the fall, which never came.

There was a flash of silver light so bright it blinded her. She closed her eyes against its brilliance and a searing pain at her chest made her hiss with discomfort. She reached up automatically, trying to stop whatever was burning her, but her fingers only found the amulet her mother had given her. It was pulsing against her fingertips and cringing the flesh of her palm, but she suddenly couldn't let go.

As quickly as it came, it was all gone. And for a few precious moments, all was quiet. Too quiet.

She opened her eyes. Expecting to see the dark ceiling of the well house and probably the glowing eyes of the rodent demon. However, she blinked in confusion as all she could see above her was a swaying tangle of branches and leaves.

She wanted to take the time to figure out what the hell had just happened, but a familiar growl interrupted her thoughts and amidst the unfamiliar sky, that pair of glowing crimson eyes stared down at her from her now vulnerable and prone position on the ground.

She gave a scream of fear as a flash of teeth and claws took up her vision and her world plunged down into darkness.

**-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-**

**Phew, finished finally. Sorry for the extremely long wait for an update. Its been a crazy few months and while I had this chapter mostly written, I for the life of me couldn't find the right way to finish it up. Hopefully, the long wait was worth it. =) Enjoy. I will really try to get the next chapter out sooner as I know I left this one at a bit of a cliffy. =P**

**Loves to all,**

**Bewildered**


End file.
